Free The Dante Conspiracy by Tom Kasey

it.
    ‘We are not suggesting simply a random robbery, as we’ve already
explained to you, twice now, in fact. What we believe is that a gang of thieves
may try and enter this building intent on stealing just this one object.’
    The curator looked at him in an irritated manner.
    ‘Why?’ he demanded. ‘Why would they want to steal this object,
which I have already explained to you’ – he gave a small tight smile to show that
he was deliberately repeating the phrase Lombardi had used just moments earlier
– ‘is of almost no value?’
    ‘We think,’ Perini said, ‘that members of this gang believe that
an important and valuable relic has been concealed either in the box or perhaps
even behind the death mask itself, and it is that object which they will be attempting
to steal.’
    An expression of utter incredulity spread across the curator’s
face.
    ‘Relic? What relic?’
    He pointed a pink forefinger at the wooden display box, inside
which a grey representation of a face which may or may not have been that of Dante
Alighieri – the death mask had been recreated, and was not the original – was suspended
against a background of purple fabric.
    ‘I can tell you precisely what is inside this box. A length of
material and the death mask itself. Nothing else. There
are no secret drawers or hollow sections. In short, there is nowhere for anything
to be concealed.’
    Lombardi was clearly getting progressively more irritated by
the man’s haughty and condescending attitude, and Perini sensed that he was about
to say something that they might both regret. So he stepped in first.
    ‘If you recall, I didn’t say that there was anything concealed within this box. I only said that members of
the gang possibly believed that there
was something concealed in it, which is an entirely different matter. However, we
are both busy and I’m sure you are as well, and I have no wish to prolong this conversation.
So I will state our position again. We believe that an attempt may be made to enter
this building and steal this relic, possibly as early as tonight. Are you prepared
to allow two of my armed uniformed officers to remain here overnight as a precaution
and as a backup to your existing alarm systems? Please consider your decision carefully,
because I will obviously be making a report of the substance of this meeting and
your decision to my superiors.’
    And that was essentially a line drawn very clearly in the sand.
Both detectives stood in silence, looking at the curator and waiting for his decision.
    For a few moments, he didn’t reply, his eyes flicking from one
man to the other. Then he gave a reluctant not.
    ‘This is a complete waste of time,’ he snapped, ‘but if it will
keep you happy you can station two men here. They will need to arrive at least half
an hour before we close so that I can brief them on the internal alarm systems and
other matters. I do not want them blundering around knocking things over or setting
off the motion detectors.’
    Five minutes later, Perini and Lombardi walked out of the building
and headed for their car. But after a few yards, both men stopped and looked back
at the palazzo.
    ‘Arrogant arsehole,’ Lombardi muttered. ‘We were trying to do
him a favour, and he acted as if we were trying to rip him off. I hope he does get burgled, and preferably sometime soon. And I thought we
agreed that we should station four armed officers in the building? What these people
did to Bertorelli shows what they’re capable of.’
    ‘I know we did,’ Perini agreed, ‘but I changed my mind when we
were in there. The curator’s quite right. The Palazzo Vecchio does have an entirely adequate alarm system and it would be a difficult place to
get into, but that wasn’t the reason. We were able to just flash our badges, walk
in their and examine the death mask, and there’s absolutely no reason why these
criminals can’t pitch up there themselves, pay the admission fee and then do